Security problems can be present in all types of systems and devices on the network. We can suffer attacks that put our privacy at risk when browsing. In this article we echo an experiment carried out by a number of security researchers. They have attacked printers to demonstrate the risks they have and the importance of knowing how to protect them correctly.
They attack printers to show the risks
As we know, it is very common to have very varied devices connected to the network. An example is printers, which allow us to access from other computers remotely to print documents.
Now, this type of equipment can also have problems. We can be victims of attacks that compromise our security and privacy. This means that we must always take measures to protect ourselves and thus prevent possible intruders from damaging us.
A group of CyberNews security researchers have hijacked multiple printers around the world. They have detected many vulnerabilities that are present and that can be exploited by intruders.
Thousands of printers around the world managed to hijack. All of them had security problems, vulnerabilities that allowed this. Logically, their intentions were not bad, since they only wanted to show users the real problems that these types of devices can have if they are not protected correctly.
They discovered over 800,000 printers exposed on the network. All of them had security flaws that could allow intruders to control them. They were discovered on IoT search engines. All of them were enabled so that they can access through the network.
Of course, it should be noted that not all of them were vulnerabilities that could be exploited. However, this did occur in about 500,000. In total they attacked 50,000 printers, of which 27,944 of those attempts were successful. They selected those printers based on location, manufacturer, and the protocols they used to access them.
In short, they designed a custom script that generally focused on the printers’ printing process, leaving out any other features. As they ran the script, they could have the target printers print their 5-step printer security guide.
Raise awareness among users
The ultimate goal of this experiment is none other than to create awareness among users. They sought to report the problems present in this type of device and the importance of always protecting ourselves correctly.
As we have seen, printer users received a 5-step printed safety guide . These measures were aimed at protecting the ports, the router, updating the firmware or changing the password.
It is very important that when using this type of devices connected to the network we bear in mind that it is vital to keep them updated and correct any vulnerability. Otherwise, as we have seen in this study, they can be exploited by intruders.
